Derrick likes to keep his shooting skills sharp by running his photography business, Story Photography. You can listen to his photo podcasts and read his tips at The Digital Story (thedigitalstory.com) and follow him on Twitter. Aperture fans might want to check out his co-authored video training on Lynda.com: Aperture 2 Essential Training.

Over the next two weeks, you'll see Instagram posts, Tweets, and Nimble Photographer Journal entries from London, Paris, Dublin, Liverpool, and Glasgow. That's because I'm lucky enough to be teaching on MacMania 17 organized by Insight Cruises with sponsorship by Macworld - http://thedigitalstory.com/2014/06/sailing-the-british-isles.html read more

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: See iOS 8's Time-Lapse Mode in Action, Instagram 6: It's like a real photo app, and Sailing Off to the British Isles - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story - http://thedigitalstory.com/2014/06/tds-podcast-431.html read more

If a picture tells a thousand words, then a panorama must be worth ten thousand. So don't forget about that great storytelling tool you have in your pocket. Here's more about it - http://thedigitalstory.com/2014/06/the-ultimate-establishing-shot-a-panorama.htm l read more

What the DxO Optics Pro workflow lacks in smoothness for Aperture users, it more than makes up for in capability. Having access to top notch lens corrections, presets, and noise reduction fills major gaps with Aperture's editing tools. Here's how to make them work together - http://thedigitalstory.com/2014/06/integrating-dxo-optics-pro-with-aperture.html read more

Taking a good picture is important. But so is the preparation before the shoot and the delivery afterward. In this movie, "Understanding the business of senior portraits," I address those little details that are important for the business side of the project. Even if you're not a professional photographer, that… read more

Without sacrificing ease of use in this latest version of Instagram, we now have an entire tool box of image editing adjustments, improved speed, and the ability to adjust filter strength. - http://thedigitalstory.com/2014/06/instagram-6-is-outstanding.html read more

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: My 5 Favorite Cameras, iOS 8 for Photographers, and Photographing High School Senior Portraits - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story. read more

After a few weeks with the Samsung NX30, I have a pretty good feel for it. Over at c't Digital Photography, I posted my hands-on review. To help me write that piece, I compiled a list of pros and cons that I'm sharing with you right now. Pros Large APS-C… read more

Many devices allow us to stream content to our iOS device, but iStick will let you copy photos from your iPad or iPhone to a flash drive. Here's more about it - http://thedigitalstory.com/2014/05/istick-photo-backup-from-ipad.html read more

Now with version 2.2.24, Connected Data has added automatic Camera Roll backup that is useful. Once enabled on your iPhone or iPad, images from your Camera Roll will be automatically copied -- full sized and with metadata intact -- to your Transporter Sync. Here's more about it - http://thedigitalstory.com/2014/05/auto-camera-backup-with-transporter-sync.html read more

For the first time during the San Francisco Street Photography Workshop, I pulled out my Olympus 75mm f1.8 prime lens for the Olympus OM-D E-M10. That was a good choice. The 75mm is perfect for getting close to the skateboarders. Here's more - http://thedigitalstory.com/2014/05/sf-street-skateboarders.html read more

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: Analog Efex Pro 2 from Nik Software, Top Shape Camera, Bay Bridge Spectacular, and the $99 Fisheye - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story - http://thedigitalstory.com/2014/05/tds-podcast-429.html read more

Bay Bridge, Pier 14, and Olympus Pop Art Filters - We had set up shop at Pier 14 on the Embarcadero. I perched my MeFOTO DayTrip Tripod on a covered trash receptacle, adjusted the E-M10 to RAW+Jpeg, enabled the Pop Art filter, and proceeded to have a blast capturing the… read more

You want to capture quality, but not necessarily a huge file size. Is the new Nikon sRAW format the answer? Nikon Rumors posted, What exactly is the new Nikon sRAW file format? that provides a good overview with a link to even more detail if you want it. Personally, I've… read more

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: A Preview of the Sony RX100 Mark III, Is Fujifilm Working on a Medium Format Mirrorless Camera?, The 4-Pound Urban Lighting Kit, The Difference Between Presets and Plugins - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story - http://thedigitalstory.com/2014/05/tds-podcast-428.html read more

My Urban Lighting kit folds down to 19.3 inches. It weighs just a few pounds, yet can be extended to over 6 feet high. The entire rig fits in a simple drawstring bag that's less than 2 feet long that I can throw over my shoulder. And it only weighs… read more

Here's a clever idea that I read about on Engadget. It's a macro ring light that you can use topside or underwater that fits over the front of any of the Olympus TG cameras (TG-1, TG-2, and TG-3). Here's more about it - http://thedigitalstory.com/2014/05/olympus-ring-light-adapter.html read more

Much in the way that a new lens can invigorate your passion for taking pictures, presets and plugins can do the same for working in Aperture. If you haven't explored this brave new world, I have a treat for you. Presets are recipes that other photographers have created that use… read more

Who says compact cameras are dead? Sony just announced the Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III ($799) that features a pop-up electronic viewfinder and fast Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 24-70mm T* f/1.8-2.8 zoom lens. Add a 1" image sensor, and you have a lot of camera in a small 10 oz package - http://thedigitalstory.com/2014/05/sony-rx100-mark-iii.html read more

Once you've enjoyed the speed of a solid state drive in your laptop, I doubt if you could ever return to spinning platters. So how do I manage my ginormous Aperture library with just 256 GBs on my laptop? http://thedigitalstory.com/2014/05/aperture-on-ssd-drive.html read more

Coming this June, Canon will start shipping the EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM for $299. This is great news for APS-C shooters who want an affordable wide angle lens. According to Canon: The EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM ultra wide-angle zoom lens features a compact and lightweight design with an… read more

This week on The Digital Story photography podcast: Canon G1X Mark II, B&W Printing Tips; Fujifilm XT1 Sharpness, To Watermark or Not? - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story. Listen in now - http://thedigitalstory.com/2014/05/tds-podcast-427.html read more

Let's face it: you're probably not going back to film. But you might have a few choice lenses from the SLR days that you just can't bear to part with. Here's what to do with them - http://thedigitalstory.com/2014/05/dust-off-your-old-glass.html read more

With a terabyte of free storage, it's easy to think of Flickr as the hall closet where you stuff all your photos. But consider its immersive audience and sharing tools; you may want to revisit your approach. Here's more about it - http://thedigitalstory.com/2014/05/flickr-as-a-showcase-for-your-work.html read more

"This book is a prime example of how a pocket-guide should be written. It covers the basics that you must keep in mind, using simple language and good picture examples. This can make a very handy reference for hobbyists as well as amateur photographers who are constantly on the go. "
--Samira Sukhija, Better Photography

"The book fills a need for those photographers who want to be gently steered through the Photoshop maze and gently nudged into the world of CS4. Experienced practitioners of Photoshop may well find information between its covers that is of value to them, since the book is clearly written and well designed and illustrated. "
--Brian Seed, The Picture Professional, Issue 1, 2009

"This small, but power packed new book will be one of your main references for learning and using Photoshop. "
--Paul W. Faust, Impressions-of-Light

"From recipes for retouching portraits and swapping colors to refining images with masking and using Adobe Camera Raw, The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers is a top pick for any photography library."
--Diane Donovan, The Bookwatch - The Photography Shelf

"The perfect computer bag book."
--James R. Lowell, Amazon.com

"It doesn't matter what level of photography you're at, if you use Photoshop to crop, tone or just for a workflow, the new version has many new features and this will explain them all in the best possible manner."
--Gregg Ellman, Miami Herald

"I enjoyed reading through this book. The subject is covered well, while its brevity ensures the information is given in concise chunks, with nothing superfluous...If you're comfortable with Photoshop and want to get a good workflow going and quickly come up to speed with some of the newer features, this would be a good choice. "
--Donna Kamper, eJournal of the Tucson Computer Society

"This new resource gives plenty of examples of how to capture great shots of people, places, landscapes and more. "
--Ann Hattes, Continental Newstime, Volume XXII, Number 14

"If you just bought a digital camera, or even if you have had one for awhile, you may have missed a very important accessory. It's called The Digital Photography Companion by Derrick Story. I wish I had gotten this book years ago."
--Kevin Persell, Geekscribe

"Chapter 2 and the size of this book really make it a great reference book that should fit in any medium or larger camera bag. It's going in mine for sure. "
--Damien Franco

"...an excellent book for beginner photographers or someone who wants to take an interest in photography."
--Tom Pitera, PhotographySavvy.com

"Derrick shows that Photoshop can be friendly as well as powerful. In part, he does that by focusing photographers on the essential steps of an efficient workflow. With this guide in hand, you'll quickly learn how to leverage Photoshop CS4s features to organize and improve your pictures."
--John Nack, Principal Product Manager, Adobe Photoshop & Bridge

"I consider myself to be a pretty experienced digital photographer, yet I found many things in this book that I can immediately begin using to improve my digital pictures. Whether you're trying to figure out how to begin with digital photography or you're just looking to improve your skills, this is a recommended book. "
--Mike George, Amazon.com

"What surprised me about The Digital Photography Companion is that it actually covered some information I haven't read in other photography books for beginners. You will find a lot of photos that complement the text, and the author provides the EXIF data of all the photos used."
--Jeff Llarena, Beyond Megapixels

"The authors have created an in-depth and resourceful guide. A wide variety of ways to work and produce with iPhoto are covered in a very readable manner...If
you need more from iPhoto '08 I recommend this book highly. The price is right and you will learn more in no time. Plus it will be handy guide for the near future and working with all of those digital photos."
--Dr. Eric Flescher, Mac Companion

"The Digital Photography Companion is the kind of book that will jump-start you into great photography. It has all the easy and quick lessons that gives you a sensible mix of creative tips and technical advise you need for taking amazing digital photos in a wide range of conditions and for a variety of occasions...If you are ready to take your photography one level higher, to learn and apply the many techniques and styles of professional photographers, you need Derrick Storys The Digital Photography Companion. This is the kind of book that offers friendly advise. It is a guide that allows you to try out a number of photo shooting ideas, and for your to see for yourself how you can make your photography better when you click the shutter."
--Dominique James, Perfect Photo Pixels

"The Digital Photography Companion gives you creative tips and technical advice for taking top-notch digital photos in a wide range of conditions and for a variety of occasions. In other words this book will help you make pictures that look better than everyone else's."
--Joe Dolittle, Connected Photographer

"The Digital Photography Companion is exactly what it's supposed to be. A companion. Small enough to take along. And loaded with practical, on the spot guidance. There is a niche for this kind of publication. From cover to cover I recommend The Digital Photography Companion to those who are enthusiastic about photography and recognize the beauty of a fine photograph."
--Artie Alinikoff, MyMac Magazine

"Derrick Story has done an outstanding job of beginning at the beginning, taking you to the end without complicating the topic with a lot of jargon and simply presenting what you need to know. Think of it as your cousin Derrick showing you how to use your camera to take pictures."
--T. Michael Testi, The Enlightened Image

"By the time you've experimented with the techniques contained in this excellent book, you'll have journeyed well beyond your peers. But, more importantly, the pictures you take now will not only become personal treasures, they will also be admired by others."
--John R. Vacca, Amazon.com

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